Ryanair screen-scraping row with TUI escalates

17 April 2009

Ryanair is claiming victory over TUI over a screen-scraping dispute. The low-cost carrier says TUI has backed down from screen scraping following a legal settlement.

However this has elicited a response from TUI denying having ever screen-scraped.It says that the row with Ryanair was over a service whereby it would book customers’ Ryanair flights through the low-cost carrier’s website. It said that it stopped the service as soon as Ryanair raised screen-scrapping accusations.

But it continued: “This service was provided to a very small number of customers only and when Ryanair raised the issue the decision was taken to no longer offer this service to its customers”

“As a result TUI UK did not feel it was worthwhile contesting legal proceedings on the issue and was happy to sign an undertaking not to make any further bookings for customers on the Ryanair website.”

Ryanair claims TUI was in breach of its “Terms of Use”, and that TUI has agreed not to breach any the terms in the future.

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Ryanair said it is now reviewing legal proceedings against Thomas Cook. The airline claims Thomas Cook has been charging a £40 “fuel surcharge” and inflating airfares to consumers buying Ryanair tickets.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “This is another victory for Ryanair and consumers. Ryanair will continue to fight against screenscraper sites who resell Ryanair flights with hidden charges and fictitious fuel surcharges. Ryanair will continue to pursue unlawful and misleading ticket-touts in the courts in the interest of our passengers”.——-